


Finding the Way Back

by Aaronlisa



Category: St Trinian's, St Trinian's (2007 2009)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 13:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/598212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronlisa/pseuds/Aaronlisa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes after spending years with the wrong girl, you realize that you're meant to be with someone else. However getting to where you're supposed to be isn't always easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding the Way Back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [havocthecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/havocthecat/gifts).



> Although there's some Annabelle/Kelly, this story is about Annabelle falling in love with Chelsea and realizing that she's in love with Chelsea.

"I suppose that this is it," Chelsea sadly says as she stares out the window. "Our last night at the school."   
  
Annabelle looks at the other girl and she's not quite sure what to say. She might have somehow managed to become the very confident Head Girl (largely because of _who_ she is and _who_ she knows) but there are still times when she's horribly tongue tied. Chelsea and she have never been particularly close. Chelsea turns so that she's leaning against the stone wall as she gazes at Annabelle.

 

"St Trinian's will always welcome any of it's former students," Annabelle manages to say, hating the fact that she sounds like Aunt Camilla.

  
"It won't be the same, will it?" Chelsea says. "I expect that you will be moving in with Kelly."   
  
Annabelle shrugs her shoulders. "We haven't really talked much about it. She's off on another mission and I shall be going to university."   
  
She doesn't want to admit that she's rather uncertain about her relationship with Kelly. Sure they've remained friendly and Annabelle has spent as much time at Kelly's flat in London when she's had the time and the permission to leave St Trinian's but she's never been sure of Kelly looks at her as a younger sister or as a potential lover.

 

"Well I'm certain that in the end, you two will wind up together. It's obvious how much you love one another."   
  
Annabelle attributes the sadness in Chelsea's voice to the sadness of leaving school.

 

"Didn't Bella say that you two were off to conquer the world of high fashion?"   
  
Chelsea nods before she gracefully turns away from Annabelle to quietly stare out the window again the familiar landscape of the school. It's as if Chelsea's sadness affects Annabelle. She's only been at the school for two years, but Chelsea's been here since she was a First Year and Annabelle doesn't remember Chelsea ever going home during their school holidays.

  
Still she's not sure how to comfort the other girl or what to say since they've never been close. Annabelle wishes that Kelly were here since she'd know just what to say.

 

*          *            *

 

The next time Annabelle Fritton sees Chelsea Parker it's five years since St Trinian's and it's at her father's art gallery, which is currently hosting Andrea's first art show (a curious mix of punk and traditional pieces.) The former posh totty looks completely out of place in the crowd of Emos, Goths and Punks. Still Annabelle can't help the instant smile as she is engulfed in the perfumed arms of Chelsea.

 

"However did you manage to convince your father to host Andrea's art show?" Chelsea asks when they pull away.

  
"It's not Daddy's gallery anymore," Annabelle replies with a smirk. "I bought him out a few years back. I let him pretend to run the place but it's better for the Fritton name if he's not in charge of anything more than organizing the drinks at events like this."   
  
Chelsea raises an eyebrow at Annabelle's words and the young woman is well aware of how she sounds. There was a time when she was such a milquetoast who thought her father knew all. St Trinian's and university changed her.

 

"I'm impressed," Chelsea says before taking a sip of her champagne. "Where's Kelly?"   
  
Annabelle's lips compress into a thin line as they tend to do whenever Kelly's brought up. Five years since St Trinian's and she hasn't progressed very far from spending the occasional weekend with Kelly at Kelly's flat in Kelly's arms. They never go out and despite the fact that Annabelle has made it very clear how she feels, she's certain that Kelly will never be ready for any form of commitment that's not just a bit of fun.   
  
"She's off on a _job_ ," Annabelle replies.

 

Chelsea looks away, her cheeks colouring slightly. "I'm sorry, I just thought that you two would be some sort of power couple by now."   
  
"So did I," Annabelle bitterly says. "But Kelly's married to her job, she's on her way to being the head of MI7 before she's thirty-five."   
  
Chelsea doesn't offer her false words of hope how things might be in the future. She doesn't try to pretend that Annabelle's not being short changed. Instead she reaches out and gently grips Annabelle's wrist and pulls the other woman closer.

 

"I know of this great little bar down the street, would you like to have a glass of wine?" Chelsea asks.

  
"I can't, I don't dare leave Daddy here by himself," Annabelle says. "If I do, he's likely to throw everyone out."

 

"Maybe another time then," Chelsea says before she melts into the crowd.

 

*          *            *

 

Annabelle finally ends things with Kelly when she's twenty-seven. She had gone to Kelly's post London flat for a weekend only to find that Kelly had forgotten their date and had instead gone off on some mission. It's easy enough for Annabelle to pack up the few things she keeps at the flat and to leave Kelly a note telling her that it's over.

 

 

*          *            *

 

Annabelle winds up at an Ashram in India trying to find both herself and a sense of purpose. Aunt Camilla had recommended the place as an ideal spot for a broken-hearted Fritton lady to mend her heart and to hide away. Although Annabelle suspects that if Kelly truly wants to find her, it'd be child's play for her to do so.

 

After two months, Annabelle finds that she's quite over Kelly Jones and she's not even angry that she'd wasted so much time with the other woman. It was what it was and anyhow she's far more concerned with the new arrivals at the Ashram, which includes one Chelsea Parker. The former posh totty looks rather normal with her blonde hair in a braid, worn blue jeans, sneakers and a soft cotton t-shirt.   
  
It takes a month before Annabelle can speak to her since she had decided to remain silent for a period of a month. When she is finally able to speak, she breathlessly searches out Chelsea who merely rolls her eyes when Annabelle pulls her aside with a gentle hand on Chelsea's thin wrist.

 

"Whatever are you doing here?" Annabelle asks. "I'd hardly consider this your scene."

 

The words almost sound like an accusation and Chelsea turns away from Annabelle, she hardly looks like the well-put together girl from St Trinian's.

  
"You're not the only one who needed to mend a broken heart Fritton."   
  
Chelsea pulls away from her, leaving Annabelle confused. This is hardly the same woman she once knew.

 

*          *            *

  
It takes several very expensive international phone calls to England and the States, along with one to Russia for Annabelle to cobble together a reason for why Chelsea's in India. Apparently her years with Kelly had taught her quite a bit about how to uncover secrets, although if she had just swallowed her pride and _called_ Kelly directly Annabelle thinks she might know the full story and not just gossip and innuendo.

 

At dawn, Annabelle finds herself up on the roof of the Ashram reeling from what she found out. It's not pretty: a love affair with a member of a royal European family gone sour. Chelsea was all but engaged to her prince when she was pushed aside for a much younger girl who didn't have quite the colourful background. Throw in some public humiliation and it's no wonder that Chelsea has run as far away as possible.

  
"So have you found out what you felt you needed to know?" Chelsea asks.   
  
Annabelle turns around and sees Chelsea standing at the top of the stairs. There's a sour expression on the blonde's face.   
  
"I wouldn't have pegged you for the type to dig around in other people's dirty laundry, but then again I guess Kelly just rubbed off on you."   
  
"I didn't mean to pry but I was worried about you," Annabelle says.   
  
"You barely know me to be worried about me."   
  
"We went to school together, St Trinian's girls are supposed to stick together," Annabelle defends.

  
"Perhaps you should have told your bird that since she was the one who made sure my finance's parents were well informed of who I was,'  Chelsea says with a bitter laugh.

  
"Kelly wouldn't do something like that."   
  
Although Annabelle's not completely sure if that's the truth. Over the years, Kelly had developed a rather ruthless streak. She's not quite sure what Kelly would do or wouldn't do anymore. There was time when she was certain that Kelly wouldn't have blown her off for work but then it happened.

 

"Apparently I wasn't what the British government considered a suitable wife."   
  
"How was it their business?" Annabelle asks.

 

"It shocks me that you're still so naive despite having gone to Trinian's and having dated Kelly for so long. However does  your Aunt cope with you?"   
  
Annabelle turns away from Chelsea, hurt by the other woman's words. Somehow the truth of them hurt her more than the anti-climatic break up with Kelly did.   
  
  
*          *            *

 

In the end, Annabelle returns to England. She can't look Chelsea in the eye not after their last conversation. Chelsea tries to speak to her again but it's easy enough for Annabelle to avoid her. It's rather easy for her to slink back home and for her to avoid the fact that she's running away again.

  
But apparently Annabelle Fritton is more like Carnaby Fritton that she cares to admit. It's easier to avoid the truth, even when it's staring her in the face. She looks out the window instead of at the picture of a smiling Kelly Jones with her new _husband_ , an up and coming politician. The picture in _Hello!_ magazine just reminds her of her failures, it reminds her of how naive she is.

 

She's barely made it in the door when her phone rings. The sound is strident and urgent, an unwelcome intrusion after the peacefulness of India (well until Chelsea Parker.) Still Annabelle answers it out of duty. She's grateful that it's just her Aunt demanding a visit. She agrees to go up to St Trinian's in a weeks' time.

  
*          *            *

 

"Girlie, your problem is the classic problem that all Fritton women have," Aunt Camilla says as she pours a cup of tea.

 

"And what is that?" Annabelle asks as she shakes her head when Aunt Camilla holds up the gin bottle.

  
She'd rather not get half cut during this conversation with her Aunt. The last time she did, she wound up taking over her father's art gallery. Not that it wasn't enjoyable but in the end it had become a much larger headache than it was worth.

 

"You give away your heart far to easily," Aunt Camilla tells her.

  
"If this is about Kelly," Annabelle starts only for her aunt to interrupt her with a hand held up in the air.

  
"Hardly, my dear. Although I won't belittle you by trying to deny that you were in love with Miss Jones, it is not _she_ that I refer to."   
  
Already Annabelle's starting to get a headache and she can't help but wonder if the tea was brewed with alcohol. She wouldn't put it past Camilla Fritton.

  
"I have been lucky that my heart has always belonged to Geoffrey, even though it took the fool such a long time to realize that his belonged to me, but my Aunt Millicent was much like you. She was a rather lovely old lady but she had fallen in love with the wrong man. Or at least she thought she was in love."   
  
Already Annabelle's starting to get a headache from her Aunt's rambling story. She thinks that she's seen a picture of a Millicent Fritton somewhere in the school, no doubt she was one of the spinster Fritton women who became headmistress of the school. She's not sure what Millicent has to do with her.

  
"But you see, Auntie Millie was actually in love with someone else, she just didn't realize it," Camilla says, pausing to take a sip of her heavily gin-laced tea. "Our Flash Harry wasn't the first of his family to be connected to the school, during the war years, his great-grandfather assisted the headmistress in running the school."   
  
"I am not sure what this has to do with me."   
  
"Hush girlie, let me tell you," Aunt Camilla imperially says.

  
The story is a rather complicated one and Annabelle's not quite sure what it has to do with her because it doesn't really make much sense. After the story, she's left with far more questions than answers. She's not even sure how much of it is true or what it has to do with her. She's only ever loved Kelly.

  
Camilla glides out of the room to deal with some minor crisis leaving Annabelle with her thoughts.

  
"I wouldn't worrying about understanding her," Geoffrey says as he sits down. "I love the woman but I still don't understand much about her."   
  
"I think she was trying to impart some piece of wisdom," Annabelle says.

  
"Probably," Geoffrey replies. "Annabelle I have a favour to ask of you."  
  
"What is it?"   
  
"Would you mind running the school for the winter term for your Aunt? She needs some time away from the school but she won't just leave it to anyone."   
  
"Of course," Annabelle readily agrees.   
  
*          *            *

  
A term turns into two years and Aunt Camilla officially retires when Annabelle is thirty-one years of age. All of the girls from her two years attend, except for Kelly and Chelsea. She's not sure who's absence hurts her more. She was expecting Kelly not to attend, despite having sent a lovely letter promising to be there. Somehow despite everything she was expecting Chelsea to be there. Even if it was just to continue their last conversation but the other woman doesn't even send a letter.

  
Annabelle finds out from Chloe and Peaches that Chelsea's in California, trying to make it out there. Although she never finds out what Chelsea is trying to make it as.

 

*          *            *

  
"I believe we need a new drama teacher," Matron tells Annabelle one cold morning.

 

"What's happened to the current one?" Annabelle asks after swallowing a mouthful of tea.

  
"The First Years."   
  
As an explanation it's rather lacking unless one is familiar with St Trinian's. Annabelle is familiar with the school and her First Years so she merely laughs in response.

  
"I suppose I will have to find someone hardier," Annabelle says.

  
"Perhaps." Tara says. "You've been looking at the wrong type of candidate."   
  
"Yes," Tania finishes. "Perhaps you need a former Trinian's girl to take on the job."   
  
*          *            *

 

Lena rushes her into her sitting room where the twentieth candidate for the position of drama teacher awaits her.

  
Annabelle closes the door and smoothes her skirt down. "And why should I hire you?"   
  
She hasn't even looked a the crumpled CV that Lena had shoved into her hands. By now she's certain she'll never fill the post with someone capable.   
  
"Well I believe I have the advantage of having been a former a Trinian's' girl."   
  
Annabelle turns around with a gasp, sitting in one of her chairs is Chelsea Parker. She does her best to put on a blank face. It's rather easy after her years as headmistress at the school. The girls see any sign of weakness as a sign to attack. Her girls have made her stronger, harder and less naive.

  
"And why would you want to come back _here_?" Annabelle asks. "I would have thought you were the type who felt you can never come back."   
  
"I think that I was wrong about that," Chelsea admits.   
  
Annabelle looks at the other woman. She's still posh but her grey skirt is a little longer in length, her outfit a little more mature, and her make up and hair are still impeccable. For a few seconds, Annabelle feels intimidated.

  
"Very well, but I should warn you that coming back here to teach is much different than coming back for a visit. The girls are ruthless, they're far more dangerous than we ever were."   
  
"I think I can handle the challenge," Chelsea says.

 

Annabelle pours the other woman a cup of tea, they don't need to say the words that Chelsea has the post if she wants it and if she can survive the girls.

  
*          *            *

 

"Have you seen this?" Chelsea asks as she throws down the newspaper on Annabelle's desk.   
  
Annabelle looks up from the budget she's been working on and glances at the paper. She bites her lower lip as she stares at Kelly's picture. The once familiar face is frozen in a stern expression, the caption beneath the picture declares that Kelly has become the head of MI7 at thirty-six.   
  
"Took her long enough," Annabelle says. "I thought she'd have it in the bag by thirty-five."   
  
"How do you feel about this?" Chelsea asks.   
  
Annabelle looks up at her in confusion. _How_ is she supposed to feel about this? She finds herself not really feeling anything at all. Although that's not the truth, she can't help but wonder if she can somehow use Kelly's position to gain some support for the school. The current Education Minister (ironically enough Geoffrey's own daughter) has an axe to grind when it comes to St Trinian's.

 

"Well how do you feel?" Chelsea pushes.

  
"Good for Kelly," Annabelle finally says. "Perhaps we can use her position to remove Thwaites from her position."   
  
"Is that all you feel? Don't you feel anything?"   
  
"What do you want me to say?" Annabelle asks. "She's worked hard for this, she's made a lot of sacrifices for it, she deserves it."   
  
"Don't you still love her?"   
  
Annabelle sets her pen down and looks up at Chelsea. She hasn't been in love with Kelly since she was twenty-four years old and had just seen Chelsea at her father's art gallery. The only reason why she stayed with Kelly was because it was rather easy to do so instead of trying to get what she really wanted.

  
She sighs as she stands up from her desk, the newspaper and Kelly's picture ignored as she walks towards one of the windows. Perhaps it would have made things a lot easier if she just accepted what she felt.   
  
"No, I don't love, I haven't for years," Annabelle tells Chelsea. "Perhaps that's a bit of a lie. I love her as a dear friend and nothing more. I'm over the heartbreak that was caused by Kelly."  
  
"But there's been no one else since her," Chelsea points out.   
  
"No there hasn't. But that's because the one I want hasn't been available for me to just walk up to _her_ and tell her how I feel."   
  
"Oh," Chelsea says.

  
"Yes, oh," Annabelle says. "You've made it rather hard over the years for me Chelsea to tell you how I feel. And as your boss, I haven't felt rather comfortable crossing a particular line."   
  
"What?" Chelsea asks, her voice curiously breathless.

 

Chelsea moves so that they're standing beside one another. Annabelle reaches out and gently grasps a stand of silky blond hair between two fingers. She plays with the stand of hair as she looks into Chelsea's eyes.

  
"I've cared a lot about you, I think that I might even love you. But it's never been the right time to tell you. And I am not asking you to feel the same way for me but I realized that when I left India, I was hurting more than when I had left Kelly."   
  
"But why haven't you said a word?"   
  
"I didn't think you'd want such a naive little girl," Annabelle tells her.

  
*          *            *

 

It's been two years since Annabelle's confession in her office. Two years and for the first time in a hundred years (or more) St Trinian's is hosting a wedding. Chelsea Parker is marrying Annabelle Fritton. For the first time, St Trinian's will not be run by a spinster Fritton daughter who had to make the choice between love and duty. Aunt Camilla is there to give her niece away since Carnaby Fritton refuses to have anything to do with the whole affair.

 

The two brides to be find themselves standing in front of a window again.   
  
"I thought it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding," Chelsea says.   
  
"Fritton women always make their own luck," Annabelle tells her. "Since you're going to become a Fritton in a few minutes, you might as well accept that."   
  
"You sound just like Camilla," Chelsea says with a laugh.

"I should hope that I don't, I suspect that I make more sense than she does."   
  
"Are you happy?"  
  
"Yes, but  I wish that I wasn't so blind to what was always in front of me all those years ago. Think about how much time we didn't have to waste."   
  
"I don't really see it as a waste of time, I wasn't as ready as I thought I was back in school," Chelsea says.

  
"But now?" Annabelle worriedly asks.

  
Chelsea leans forwards and presses her lips against Annabelle's. Annabelle groans and pulls Chelsea closer.

  
"There shall be none of that at the moment," Camilla announces. "Save it for the honeymoon."   
  
The two lovers share a laugh before they allow Camilla to escort them to their wedding, both secure in their feelings for one another.     


End file.
